By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, June 29: Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Kuching Branch has officially named its youth chairman Wung Duk Ying as the party’s candidate for N9 Padungan in the coming State election.
Branch chairwoman Datuk Lily Yong Lee Lee revealed that the decision has already been made and Wung’s name was submitted to SUPP Central leadership sometime in March this year as the sole proposed candidate for the constituency.
“We have already resolved on a potential candidate, and there is only one—our youth chairman Wung Duk Ying.
“It is already known within the party, and everyone is moving in that direction—for the people, the party, and the constituency—because we believe it is truly the right time,” she told reporters when met after the SUPP Kuching Branch’s 66th anniversary dinner held at Theatre Hotel earlier tonight.
Yong emphasised that the selection of candidates must reflect the genuine needs and sentiments of the people on the ground and not be dictated by arbitrary top-down decisions based on the notion of a “winnable candidate.”
“The term ‘winnable candidate’ is very dangerous, because who can guarantee that the person you send is always winnable, and yet in the end, they still lose. History has proven that this statement is not actually real,” she stressed.
Yong said the Padungan seat falls under the SUPP Kuching Branch’s jurisdiction, and the branch had conducted its own survey before arriving at the decision to nominate Wung.
“We are not here to kacau (interfere) others, and we expect the same respect from other branches.
“For Padungan, we did our own groundwork, and we are confident Wung is the right person. The whole branch will move wholeheartedly behind him,” she added.
Meanwhile, on the remaining two State seats under the Bandar Kuching parliamentary constituency—Pending and Batu Lintang—Yong said the SUPP Kuching Branch would respect the decisions of the respective branches in those areas.
“We do not believe in interference. Jangan campur tangan (Do not intervene). We will respect the decisions made by the respective branches and give our full support,” she asserted.
Yong also touched on internal party dynamics, revealing that the SUPP Kuching Branch is often perceived as an “opposition within the party” due to its uncompromising stance on speaking the truth and reflecting real issues on the ground.
“Some—not all—but some within the party view the Kuching Branch like opposition. But that’s because we speak the truth. We don’t follow the flow just to please people. We reject the culture of blind loyalty and personal agendas,” she said.
According to her, this commitment to integrity and ground realities may deter potential members who are discouraged by what she called a “fake” internal environment caused by those with ulterior motives.
“If we allow that culture to continue, it will eventually mislead the leaders and steer the party in the wrong direction. That’s dangerous. We must eradicate it,” she cautioned.
Yong also took aim at incumbent Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen of Democratic Action Party (DAP), questioning his dual roles at both Parliamentary (as Stampin MP) and State levels.
“He behaves like half-half. It’s time for him to relinquish some of those roles. He no longer has the capacity to carry them all,” she remarked.
The State election is expected to be closely watched in urban seats like Padungan, which have long been hotly contested between SUPP and the DAP. – DayakDaily
